Work in Progress - May 2022

Catch up with previous coffee table updates here.

This month I packed away most of my projects to clear the coffee table (we had family visiting) and I didn't unpack them afterwards.

It was part of my cunning plan to focus on the Mohair Shawl. And it worked perfectly.

In the end I finished four projects. Admittedly two of those were an unplanned impulse cast on so I was still distracted despite the empty coffee table.

First up the finished projects...

Knitted in Rowan Kidsilk Haze Colour and using our free shop pattern (Colour Block Scarf) this Mohair scarf is so light and breezy.

The yarn has a softly dappled colour effect in a mohair silk blend so it has soft halo with the sheen of silk.

As a one ball wonder it's a great success. It's also perfect for holiday knitting.

You can read more and see it styled on the mannequin in our online Gallery.

Next finished project is my Jessica Jones Cowl. The cowl is inspired by the one worn by Jessica Jones in the Netflix show. The pattern is by Handmade by Smine on Ravelry or Etsy. I added more stitches as I wanted a looser single loop.

I used Fyberspates Vivacious 4ply in Denim. It's a semi-solid hand dyed merino. Combined with linen stitch, you get a lovely effect as colours overlap imitating a woven fabric.

This first appeared on the coffee table in May 2021. So it's taken a while to finish! Honestly, it's not that interesting to knit. But it looks and feels amazing. Like woven fabric. 

And it looks good on both sides.

Another finished project (and another cowl) which was very interesting to knit (and thus was knitted in a fortnight) is the Nina Cowl.

Nina is a cowl that looks like a shawl when you wear it with the pointy bit at the front. I also really like all the texture in this one. I find these types of designs really interesting to knit and they make a real statement when you wear them.

You can read more about Nina in our online Gallery and see it in the Pittenweem shop.

And yet another cowl - Dissymmetry Cowl by Elizabeth Sullivan. This was inspired by a customer's cowl. It's a asymmetrical rectangley shape with buttons to create a small wrap. This is what it looks like laid flat...

Dissymmetry Cowl available for free on Ravelry

I used one ball of Rico Melange Chunky in shade 57. I've still to add buttons.

I also have another cowl on the needles.

This is a Feathered Friends Cowl a feather lace cowl designed by Sabine Gruschow. It was inspired by this year's Pittenweem Community Craft Project.

This pattern is available to buy on Ravelry now and there will be copies available at the Feathered Friends exhibition during the Pittenweem Arts Festival in August.

Some cowls made using Sabine's design will also be available to buy during the Festival.

Proceeds from the sale of the pattern will be donated to the Project's chosen 2022 charities - Kilminning Nature Reserve project in Crail (East Neuk) and the DEC Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

The pattern is written for 4ply but I'm making mine in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK. Indeed, Sabines first cowl used two strands of laceweight held together.

My cowl is looking a bit narrow but the feather lace will need a good stretch when I block it so that may give it more width.

I think the Feathered Friends Cowl would be a good next step lace project after our Horse Shoe Lace cowl.

Another project destined for the Feather Friends sale is a baby jumper - Little Hootlete.

Little Hootlete by Taiga Hilliard availbale to buy on Raverly. 

I've knitted most of the body and I'm now at the 'owl' cable bit. I am using a now discontinued stash yarn for my jumper but any worsted/aran weight yarn would work.

And I'm still working away on my Melting Marl Shawl (it lives under the coffee table). I'm now at 270 odd stitches.

Melting Marl Shawl by Stephen West using 2 strands of 4ply

Still really enjoying this even as the rows get longer.

What's left...

I'm onto the second sock of my toe-up sock. Not much progress on this one I'm afraid. I'm using Crazy Zauberball in shade 2429 and Trusty Toe Up Socks, a free pattern from Tanis Lavallee on Ravelry. 

And I'm on to the front of Melody, a sleeveless top knitted in our newest yarn, West Yorkshire Spinners Elements DK. I really need to get this finished. As a shop sample it will have more impact when it's actually summer! Maybe I should clear the coffee table again? 😆

Oh! No embroidery journal update this month. I hurt my hand early in the month which slowed my knitting down and made it impossible to hold a sewing needle! So I fell out the habit... I reckon if I try and do 3 days every day then I can catch up by June WiPs. Wish me luck!